Conduit electric railway



2 sheets-sheet 1.

(No Model.)

W OESTERLEIN 0013111111 ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

Patented Feb. 18

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

WQESTBRLEIN. GONDUITELBQTRIG RAILWAY. -No. 554,719. Patented Feb. 18,1896.

m n w y g 19 w I fliZlw Gefferlezlm ATENT FFICE,

XVILHELM OESTERLEIN, OF CINCINNATI, OI-IIO.

CONDUIT ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 554,719, dated February18, 1896. I

Application filed fieptember 21, 1894:. Serial No. 523,734.. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILHELM OESTERLEIN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Oincinnati, Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvementsin Electric Railways, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric street-railways, its object being toprovide a practicable and efficient conductor and conducting systemwhereby overhead trolley-wires may be dispensed with and themotor-current carried beneath the surface of the roadway;

To this end my invention consists, generally, in the construction andarrangement of a metallic current-conducting rail and its supports in atunnel between the tracks of the railway and in a traveling contactdevice for taking the current through the motor upon the car, thedetails of which will more fully appear in the following specification,in connection with the accompanying drawings, illustrating preferredforms of construction, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of theconducting-rail and one of its supports, partly sectioned; Fig. 2, across-section of the tunnel, showing one of the rail-supports inelevation; Fig. 3, a side elevation of the traveling contact device andits attachment; Fig. 4, an end elevation of the same; and Figs. 5 and 6are detail views illustrating construction of the same.

Referring now to the drawings, the general plan of construction embodiesa sub-surface tunnel T between the tracks similar to that of an ordinarycable railway and similarly provided with a continuous slot or openingthrough the surface having parallel walls spaced apart sufficiently topermit the passage of a contact device having a trailing connection withthe car, and maintaining constant electrical communication between thecar and the conducting-rail within the tunnel T.

As the construction of the tunnel forms no part of my invention, thesame need not be further described; but as the constant presence ofmoist air in a tunnel has been regarded heretofore as a seriousobjection to a system of electrical conduction therein on account of theleakage of current through or over ordinary insulators I have devisedthe following system of construction and maintenance of theconducting-rail.

The conducting-rail A is composed of rolled bars of metal of sufficientstrength to carry properly the traveling contact device (presently to bedescribed) attached together and supported in the following manner: Atsuitable intervals, preferably at the junction of each two rails, isarranged a supporting-stand B, constructed as follows: The stand properis in the form of a deep cup resting upon a base-flange b and surroundedfrom a point above the base by a second cup b rising above the level ofthe first or inner cup, I). All this may be formed as a single casting.WVithin the inner cup, I), is inserted a central stem, 0, seated belowin an insulating-socket d at the bottom of the inner cup and centrallymaintained in the axis of the said inner cup by an annularinsulating-washer d at or near the top of said cup. The stem 0 risesthence to a convenient height and carries the rail ends abutted in asocket-piece e, fitted over it as a cap, and havinghorizontally-extended jaws between and through which bolts or rivets arepassed through corresponding apertures in the web of the rail, after themanner of railway-fish-plate construction. Immediately above the mouthof the inner cup, I), a conical annular shield w is placed, re semblingan umbrella Whose outer depending margin surrounds the mouth of the cup,eX-' tending below the horizontal level of the mouth into the annularspace of the outer cup; and above this and covering in like manner themouth of the outer cup is a sec- 0nd larger shield 00 of like form. Boththese 1 shields are preferably composed of hard rubber or fiber and aresecured by a nut y threaded on the stem 0 above the upper shield, aledgeor shoulder of the stem below the lower shield, and an interveningwasher or separating-collar, 00

The insulating function of the device in addition to that of a meresupport is realized by filling the cup-spaces with a non-conducting oilto or nearly to the level of the mouth of the outer cup, practicallycovering the lower shield. The upper shield diverts all droppingmoisture completely over and outside of the stand, while the innershield diverts any condensation within the space covered by the uppershield to the outer side of the inner cup, where it drops into theannular space and is from time to time removed and the supply of oilrenewed to maintain practically the above-described conditions. Theactual support of the rail-namely, the stem cis thus completelyinsulated from the stand 13 by the body of the insulating-oil, coveredand protected by the shields both from undue evaporation and fromdisplacement by moisture at joints where the moisture could possiblyform a conducting-bridge.

The trolley device G is a flat bar g, preferably of insulating material,extending vertically through the surface-slot, and rests by gravity uponthe conducting-rail, upon which it is guided by a grooved bearing-wheelZ. It is swiveled at its upper terminus to a trailing bar h, pivoted tothe under side of the car or framework of the car-truck, and is thusenabled to adjust itself to curvature of the track and slot. The swivelconnection consists of a two-part ring-terminal h at the end of thetrailing bar, (so constructed for detachability,) embracing acylindrical head g, mounted on the bar g. The two parts of the ring arepivoted together at one side and held by a suitable clamp 7L2 at thediametricallyopposite side from the pivotal connection. The fixed sideof the ring has a lateral eX- tension, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6, inwhich the end of the bar it has a swivel connection, said bar being heldin place in said extension by means of the collar 0.

ith reference to the electrical conductor, the construction is asfollows: The bar 9 is provided with a central recess g through whichpasses a suitably-insulated conductingwire 10, connecting below to ametallic shoe 2', in which the bearing-wheel z is pivoted. Atthe upperend of the bar g the conductingwire it: is carried, suitably insulatedthrough the head g and electrically connected to an elbowj, to which acontinuation w of the wire is attached, and is carried thence along thetrailing-bar to the motor. (Not shown.)

To protect the contact device from the effects of moisture, thefollowing attachments are provided: First, an umbrella cap or shield isconnected to the elbow j and completely covers the top of the device, toshed any dripping moisture. To intercept any moisture condensing andflowing down the sides of the bar 9, an annular flange Z is secured tothe bar above the shoe 17, forming an annular cup surrounding the same,which is filled with oil when in use. Over this an umbrella-shield m issecured to the bar g, completely overlapping the annular cup anddiverting any trickling moisture. There is thus formed an interposedbarrier of oil in contact with the bar 9, besides the shield whichserves to protect the parts from splashing mud or moisture and topreserve the oil to some extent from evaporation. The device, as thusconstructed, effectually prevents any short-circuiting of metallic partsby moisture.

To retain the bar 9 (which is somewhat extended in a fore and aft plane)in normal line with the trailing bar It, the swiveling head is retainedby a circular spring, ring on, connected at one side to the bottom ofthe head g, and extending thence eccentrically around the head, and cutradially so as that its free ends may bear oppositely against a leverprojection o of the arm h. The head g being rigidly connected to the barg, any variation of alignment of the latter with the trailing arm 71. ineither direction is resisted by the sprin I claim as my invention anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States 1. A support forelectric conductors embodying a supporting-stem and a stand in which thesame is carried, provided with means for maintaining a body of oilsurrounding and in contact with the stem in such relation as to preventor intercept the passage or accumulation of any moisture that mightconnect the stem and stand electrically, substantially as set forth.

2. A support for electric conductors embodying a supportingstem, a cup-shaped stand carrying the stem in suitable insulations, and one or moreshields surrounding the stem and covering the mouth of the stand,substantially as set forth.

3. A support for electric conductors embodying a supporting-stem, astand in which the stem is socketed in suitable insulations, an annularcup or flange surrounding the stand and extending above the same, anumbrella-shield surrounding the stem above the socket and depending intothe annular space of the surrounding cup, and a second shieldsurrounding the stem above the first and covering and. dependingexternally around the mouth of the annular cup, substantially as setforth.

4:. In a support for electric conducting-rails, the combination of thecup-shaped stand, the stem socketed therein, and the head surmountingthe stem having parallel flanges adapted to receive and clamp betweenthem the abutting ends of the conducting-rails, substantially as setforth.

5. In a system of conduction for electric railways, the combination withthe motor-car and a sub-surface conducting-rail, of a contact-supportconsisting of an approximately horizontal trailing arm, pivoted to thecar body, and a vertical contact-arm, extending thence through thetunnel-slot to the conducting-rail, the trailing and vertical armsswiveled together horizontally and vertically, substantially as setforth.

6. In electric apparatus, a trailing contact support, consisting of avertical arm adapted to rest upon a sub-surface conducting-rail andextend thence through the tunnel-slot, an approximately horizontal armadapted to be pivotally attached to the car, and a detachable connectingelement, having a swiveling c011- nection with both the vertical andhorizontal IIO acter indicated, in combination with the vertical armhaving a cylindrical head, a split embracing-ring hinged at the one sideand provided With a detachable fastening at the other, and an extensionadapted to engage pivotally With the trailing arm, substantially as setforth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

WILI-IELM OESTERLEIN.

Witnesses:

L. M. HOSEA, L. C. HOSEA.

